The present invention relates to a method of overcoming the problems associated with treating patients who are addicted to narcotics and/or amphetamines. More specifically, it relates to a means of pharmacologically abolishing the craving and the withdrawal syndrome normally experienced when a patient is deprived of such narcotics and/or amphetamines.
As above noted, two major aspects of the treatment of the individual drug addict relate to abolishing the craving and dependence, be they psychological or physical, and to the prevention of the withdrawal or abstinence syndrome. Attempts to accomplish these objectives in a pharmacological manner can be considered in two major categories: the replacement of the offending drug with one more acceptable, even if still addictive, and the use of compounds that may alter the biochemical basis of addiction and withdrawal symptoms.
Various pharmacological approaches for treating narcotic and/or amphetamine addiction have been tried in the past. However, while certain of such approaches have been successful in varying degrees, each such approach has certain limitations and drawbacks. For example, previous experimental work in morphine addicted monkeys has demonstrated that treatment with alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine abolished the craving for morphine and diminished or abolished the manifestations of the abstinence syndrome. The results of this investigation suggested that alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine could be used in the treatment of narcotic and amphetamine addictions and other mental conditions where the catecholamines were known to play a fundamental role.
The results of these experiments led, in 1972, to the trial of alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine in patients addicted to morphine. Unfortunately, they all developed alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine crystalluria, as in retrospect, had the monkeys, and treatment was discontinued.
Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide an alternative method for treating patients suffering from addiction to narcotics and/or amphetamines without the formation of crystalluria or other undesirable side-effects.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a composition which is especially adapted to be used in the above-described method.
Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following description and claims.